Job interviews seem like some kind of high-stakes game where confidence, quick thinking, and good communication skills make all the difference between being successful or not. The mere thought of an interview causes many people to get sweaty palms and a racing heart. But what if you walk in feeling confident, ace all your questions with ease, and leave them talking about you for hours? That is possible through Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
NLP is not all about self-improvement, It helps you understand exactly how you think, how you feel, and exactly how you behave. Now, using the techniques will help you prepare mentally for this interview, overcome nervousness, and bring out your best self. Here is how you can use NLP to walk into that interview room feeling empowered and capable.
Anchoring is an NLP technique by which you can attach a positive feeling, such as confidence, to a physical action. It’s almost like creating a mental “button” you can press when you need that feeling the most, for example, Just before the interview,
On the day of your interview, whenever you are feeling nervous, push your thumb and forefinger together to invoke that anchored feeling of confidence. That physical cue will ground you and make you feel more assured when you need it most.
Top athletes prepare for games by visualizing them. You can prepare for interviews the same way. Visualization is imagining what you want to happen so your brain feels more familiar with the experience before it ever occurs. This helps eliminate anxiety and build confidence.
How to Visualize
The clearer and the more vivid your visualization, the more potent it will be. Make an effort to do this exercise daily up until the interview so that you start to feel the feeling of confidence and success being second nature.
Anxiety and excitement are twin cousins, they are associated with a high level of arousal and energy. Reframing will help you flip the script by changing an anxious feeling into excitement. Instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, NLP’s reframing technique focuses on the good stuff, what this opportunity might bring and how well you’re prepared for it.
How to Reframe Your Nerves:
Reframing doesn’t make nerves disappear, but it can help you to reinterpret them. This change in perspective can make your nervous energy work for you instead of against you.
The “As-If” frame in NLP helps you act as if you already have the qualities that you want to exhibit. In behaving as if you’re calm, confident, and prepared, you signal your brain that these qualities are already there, and soon enough, they feel that way too.
How to Apply the “As-If” Frame
The “As If” frame is not about pretending but letting your best qualities come out consciously by getting into them. Such a technique can make you relaxed and real inside the interview setting.
Mirroring and matching are NLP techniques with regard to establishing rapport using the subtle mimicking of the other person’s body language, tone, and pace. When done naturally, one feels as if they are “in connection” with someone because it means that he or she is somehow getting picked up by the energy of the interviewer. Its effectiveness is especially high within interview settings since the ability of quickly building rapport leaves that impression with the interviewer in mind.
How to Practice Mirroring:
Mirroring lends a natural connection and makes you feel more comfortable with the person. The two of you are free to communicate effectively and shine out from your strengths.
Interviews even make super confident people second guess themselves. Positive self-talk helps keep you grounded in a constructive mindset, replacing doubts with encouragement. Go over your strengths, successes, and potential before and during the interview.
Practice Positive Self-Talk
Positive self-talk will help you in remaining cool and composed, and therefore, presenting the best version of yourself.
The Circle of Excellence is an NLP technique in which you create an “imaginary circle” of confidence or calmness, or whoever else you might like to be. It is a mental space where you find your footing every time the going gets tough.
Create Your Circle of Excellence
Use this circle on the day of your interview; think about “stepping into” it right before you go in. Mental exercise can center you there, so let your better qualities take the lead.
Using NLP techniques, you no longer have to wait until the interview to have it happen by chance or based on anxiety. Anchoring confidence, visualizing success, reframing nervous energy, and acting “as if” you are already at your best can help one enter the interview room ready for success. Mirroring, positive self-talk, and the Circle of Excellence further help one stay calm, hence making a lasting impression.
Remember that this is a two-way talk: the interviewer wants to know about you, and he wants you to go out there and do so well. So breathe deeply in, collect all your NLP tools, and walk into that room full of confidence as if you were prepared to show yourself in the very best possible manner.